Chinese 1 Vocabulary List: Essential Words for Your First Year

What Chinese 1 Covers

Chinese 1 (sometimes called Mandarin 1 or Chinese 101 at the college level) is the introductory course that assumes no prior knowledge of the Chinese language. Over the course of a full academic year, you will learn the pinyin romanization system, basic stroke order for writing characters, fundamental grammar patterns, and approximately 150-300 vocabulary words depending on your school's curriculum and pace.

By the end of Chinese 1, you should be able to introduce yourself, talk about your family, order food at a restaurant, describe your daily routine, discuss school subjects, and have simple conversations about hobbies and preferences. This corresponds roughly to the Novice-Mid to Novice-High level on the ACTFL proficiency scale, or HSK 1 to early HSK 2 on the Chinese proficiency framework.

Below, we have organized the essential Chinese 1 vocabulary into topic categories. These words represent the core vocabulary that appears across the most commonly used high school Chinese textbooks, including Integrated Chinese, Chinese Link, and Discovering Chinese. If your teacher uses a different textbook, don't worry — the foundational vocabulary is remarkably consistent across all beginning Chinese curricula.

Greetings & Basic Expressions (15 Words)

These are the very first words you will learn in Chinese 1. Greetings form the foundation of any language, and you will use these expressions every single day in class. Pay close attention to the tones — mispronouncing a tone in Chinese can change the meaning of a word entirely. If you need a refresher on tones, check out our complete pinyin guide.

Numbers 1-100 (Key Patterns)

Chinese numbers are beautifully logical. Once you learn 1-10, you can construct any number up to 99 by combining them. For example, 11 is literally "ten-one" (十一), 25 is "two-ten-five" (二十五), and 99 is "nine-ten-nine" (九十九). The number 100 is 一百 (yī bǎi). Here are the foundational numbers you must know:

Tip: Note the difference between 二 (èr) and 两 (liǎng). Both mean "two," but 两 is used before measure words (e.g., 两个人 = two people) while 二 is used for counting and in compound numbers (e.g., 二十 = twenty). This is one of the first grammar distinctions you will learn in Chinese 1.

Family Members (12 Words)

Talking about family is a major topic in Chinese 1. Chinese has specific terms for family members that distinguish between maternal and paternal sides of the family, which is quite different from English. In Chinese 1, you will learn the basic terms below. More specific terms (like 姑姑 for paternal aunt vs. 阿姨 for maternal aunt) are typically covered in Chinese 2.

Food & Drinks (15 Words)

Food vocabulary is one of the most practical and enjoyable topics in Chinese 1. You will learn to talk about meals, express food preferences, and order simple dishes. Chinese food culture is deeply connected to the language, and learning these words opens the door to understanding menus at Chinese restaurants and discussing one of the most celebrated aspects of Chinese culture.

School & Classroom (12 Words)

Since you are learning Chinese in a school setting, it makes sense that school-related vocabulary features prominently in Chinese 1. These words allow you to talk about your classes, teachers, and school activities — topics that come up frequently in textbook dialogues, oral assessments, and writing assignments.

Daily Activities (15 Words)

Describing your daily routine is a core skill in Chinese 1. You will practice talking about what time you wake up, what you do during the day, and what you do in the evening. These verbs and activity words form the backbone of basic Chinese conversation and will appear in nearly every chapter of your textbook.

Colors & Descriptions (10 Words)

Adjectives and colors allow you to describe people, objects, and places. In Chinese, adjectives work a bit differently than in English — they often function as verbs and can be used with 很 (hěn, very) as a linking word. For example, instead of saying "The flower is red," you would say 花很红 (huā hěn hóng), literally "flower very red." Getting comfortable with this pattern early will help you throughout your Chinese studies.

Common Textbook Vocabulary

Different textbooks organize and present vocabulary in slightly different orders, but the core words are remarkably consistent. Here is how the most popular Chinese 1 textbooks compare:

• Integrated Chinese (4th Edition, Volume 1): Covers approximately 250 vocabulary words across 10 lessons. Topics include introductions, family, dates and time, hobbies, visiting friends, making appointments, studying Chinese, school life, shopping, and transportation. This is the most widely used college-level Chinese textbook in the United States and is also adopted by many high schools.
• Chinese Link (3rd Edition, Level 1): Covers approximately 200 vocabulary words with an emphasis on communicative competence. Topics are similar to Integrated Chinese but with more focus on real-world scenarios like ordering food, asking for directions, and making plans.
• Discovering Chinese (Volume 1): Designed specifically for high school students, this textbook covers about 180 words with more visual aids and cultural notes. It progresses at a slightly slower pace than college-level textbooks.

Regardless of which textbook your school uses, the vocabulary lists in this guide cover the essential words that appear across all of them. If you master these words, you will have a strong foundation for any Chinese 1 final exam or placement test.

Study Tips for First-Year Chinese

Learning Chinese is different from learning European languages like Spanish or French. The writing system, tonal nature of the language, and grammar structure are all unfamiliar to English speakers. Here are proven strategies specifically for Chinese 1 students:

1. Master Pinyin First

Before diving into characters, make sure you have a solid grasp of pinyin pronunciation. Pay special attention to the four tones — they are the single most challenging aspect of Chinese for English speakers. Record yourself speaking and compare to native audio. Many students skip tone practice early on and develop bad habits that are much harder to fix later.

2. Use Spaced Repetition for Vocabulary

Spaced repetition is the most efficient method for memorizing vocabulary. Instead of cramming all your words the night before a quiz, review a small number of words daily and let the algorithm increase the interval between reviews as you master each word. HSKLord's flashcard system automates this process — you just need to show up and review for 10-15 minutes a day.

3. Practice Writing Characters by Hand

Even though we live in a digital age, writing Chinese characters by hand significantly improves your ability to recognize and remember them. Use graph paper or character practice sheets and follow the correct stroke order. Write each new character at least 5-10 times when you first learn it, then review through spaced repetition.

4. Supplement Class with SRS Apps

Your Chinese 1 class provides structured instruction, but class time alone is not enough to build lasting vocabulary retention. Use a spaced repetition app like HSKLord to review vocabulary outside of class. The HSK 1 word list maps closely to Chinese 1 curriculum, making it an ideal supplement. Even 10-15 minutes of daily review can double your retention rate compared to traditional study methods.

5. Listen to Chinese Every Day

Your ear needs consistent exposure to Chinese to develop listening comprehension. Start with beginner-friendly content: Chinese learning podcasts, YouTube channels for beginners, or the audio materials that come with your textbook. Even passive listening while doing other activities helps train your brain to distinguish Chinese sounds and tones. As you progress through Chinese 1, gradually increase the difficulty of your listening materials.

Frequently Asked Questions